Many of today's corporations have large data network infrastructures. A typical office building data closet has a patch-panel containing many connectors for network cables that run to the offices and cubicles elsewhere in the building. Network equipment often sits in a nearby rack. Network cables connect each of the office ports to one of the ports on the network equipment through the patch-panel. As users move, or network equipment is upgraded or replaced, the cables tend to become entangled. It becomes very difficult to identify the locations of cable ends. For instance, when a cable is plugged into a port on the network equipment, it is difficult to determine where on the patch panel the other end of the cable resides. In order to determine which network port is connected to a particular office cable-drop (or vice versa), most technicians today use one of two techniques. The first is to unplug the cable from the patch panel, and see whether any of the link-status lights on the network equipment goes out. If one does, the technician knows which port he has just disconnected. If not, it means the equipment in the user's office is not connected or not powered up. When successful, this first technique disadvantageously causes the momentary disruption of network connectivity. When unsuccessful, the technician must then use the second technique, which involves tugging the cable, running one's hands along it, and so forth to attempt to trace the cable manually. The problem is exacerbated when many cables run through a constricted opening, or are tightly bound together with a cable-strap. It would be desirable to provide a network cabling system which overcomes the above-described inadequacies and shortcomings.